Sukkot – Safety in Joy

 

Over the next week and a half, we leave the comfort and security of our homes and move into a small, fragile structure — the sukkah.

 

At first glance, it seems like a strange way to celebrate. Why would we commemorate one of the most fundamental experiences of Jewish history by sitting in a hut? And why does Sukkot come immediately after the Yamim Nora’im, after the intensity of Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur?

The Vilna Gaon gives us a beautiful answer.

 

The sukkah reminds us of the Clouds of Glory — the Ananei Hakavod — which surrounded and protected the Jewish people as they travelled through the wilderness.

But that protection was not always there.

 

After the sin of the Golden Calf, the Jewish people lost the merit of that Divine protection. There was a rupture in the relationship between Hashem and His people.

 

And then came Yom Kippur.

 

Moshe descended from Mount Sinai with the second set of Luchot. The Jewish people had been forgiven. Their relationship with Hashem had been restored. And then, immediately afterwards, Hashem commanded them to build the Mishkan — the Sanctuary — a physical place where His Presence could once again dwell among them. Sukkot is the celebration of that moment. After the fear, the uncertainty and the process of repentance, we are told: you are still loved, you are still protected, and Hashem’s Presence is still with you. That is why Sukkot is called Zman Simchateinu — the Time of our Rejoicing.

 

Our joy is not simply because we are celebrating a festival. It is the joy that comes from knowing that we are not alone.

 

In our homes, we feel secure. We have walls, locks, technology and all the things that give us a sense of control. But when we sit in the sukkah, we deliberately make ourselves vulnerable. The sukkah reminds us that ultimately, our security does not come from the walls around us. It comes from the One above us. Ultimately, our protection comes from Hashem.

 

The sukkah is therefore not a symbol of insecurity. It teaches us that we can sit in a fragile structure, look up at the sky, and still feel safe.

 

Wishing the entire community a Chag Sameach — a Sukkot filled with joy, inspiration, peace and the warmth of Hashem’s Presence.

 

 

Rabbi Ryan & Nicky Goldstein